Wind turbines halt while DTE probes blade break

CHANDLER TOWNSHIP — DTE Energy Co. says it has halted power production and construction at a wind park in Michigan's thumb area while it investigates why a blade broke on one turbine.

DTE spokesman Scott Simons tells the Huron Daily Tribune in Bad Axe that "there's no timetable" on resuming operations at Echo Wind Park. He says the company isn't going to put "anyone or anything at risk" until it discovers the cause of last week's accident.

The turbine that broke is in Huron County's Chandler Township, about 100 miles north of Detroit.

Sixty of the 70 planned turbines are in place and were producing electricity until the accident. Simons says the company is halting construction of the remaining 10 turbines as well as operations of the 60 that are complete.

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